What will you do with the burden?

I surrendered my vehicle yesterday. So long, Freedom. Good knowing you, Independence. And Pride? You'll be on the back burner for awhile.

This is just one of many consequences of mistakes I've made over many years. It's tough, and sometimes I want to shake my fist at God and ask why He didn't do something. Provide more income so I could literally pay my dues. Stop me from making some of those wayward choices. Make me wiser so I didn't make those choices in the first place.

He could change this situation, but it's unlikely. More likely that He wants to change my heart.

It occurs to me that while God does many things for me, He will never take over my brain or my body and force me to do His will. That's another choice I can make - with assuredly better results. As for today, He promised to give me wisdom when I ask for it (James 1:5). I know that all things work together for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

The Scriptures say He will never give me more than I can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). And God promised to be my Comfort (Isaiah 51:12) and Peace (Ephesians 2:14) and a constant Presence (Psalm 139:7). My choice today is to focus on the good that He is working through my mistakes, and to turn to Him for comfort, peace, and strength.

Are you struggling with consequences from your mistakes? What will you do with the burden?

"I, even I, am He who comforts you." Isaiah 51:12

Father God, thank you for your loving comfort and for your unending grace. Thank you for the promises you've recorded in Scripture to help us through difficult times. May we always recognize the way out of temptation, and may we continually seek your escape. Work the painful situations of each person here for good in our lives and in the kingdom. Give your children the strength to withstand, to turn to you in our pain, and to give you the glory. Give us wisdom to make choices that honor you. We pray these things in your holy name, Amen.

Monday Prayer - My Light and My Salvation

“The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear.  The Lord is the strength of my life - of whom shall I be afraid.”  Psalm 27:1

I have prayed this verse many times since I first memorized Psalm 27 in my bible study group a number of years ago.  The Lord – MY light – yes, without him there is only darkness and fear inside of me.  The Lord – MY salvation – I have chosen Jesus the author and perfector of my faith!   YES, He is my hope and my life and I am especially confident of this fact when I live in these truths which dispel my fear and doubt. 

Whom shall I fear when the God of the Universe and His expression of love to the world in Jesus chooses to act in kindness towards me?  Human beings harbor many fears and I don’t know about you but when I dwell on my fears rather than on the proven truth in the Bible, my thoughts can easily turn my feelings to those of hopelessness. (Proven?  Yes, proven!!)    

The Lord is the strength of my life – when I am weak, then I am strong because HE is my strength for whatever lies ahead.  God works for the good of his people even during times that are difficult to bear.  I am still confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Be strong and take heart, wait for the Lord

“Hear my voice when I call, O Lord, be merciful to me and answer me.   My heart says of you seek His face, your face Lord will I seek.”  Psalm 27:7-8

Father,
Please give hope to those of us who are struggling with fear and doubt in this earthly life. Help us to grasp your divine love and understand that your intentions toward us are for good.  Father, may we earnestly seek you in prayer to express our devotion and needs offering them as a fragrant sacrifice to You.  May we seek You in your Word asking for confidence in your character and for the increase of our faith unto strength. 
The world offers many options for relief from our pain and fear but we have proven time and again that they provide only a momentary hush from the voices within. Father you are proven to offer a peace that quiets all voices and all lies bringing us a hope that the world cannot experience outside of you.  May we seek you for a path and a peace we so desperately desire.
Father, I pray for those who either don’t know you or are afraid to seek you, that you gently draw them to yourself and show them your love and your mercy.  May their hearts soften towards you so that your work may begin. 
In your precious Son’s name,
Amen

Praying according to the Scriptures

"Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Luke 11:1-2

And my prayer is pure. Job 16:17

One thing we want to do here is teach you how to pray according to the Scriptures. There are so many aspects to think about when we begin praying this way, but one of the most important is praying in Jesus' name. What does that mean?

Think about the things you know about Jesus. Even the unbeliever knows His name, knows His nature. Jesus is love, peace, and POWER. It is undeniable the things He did while walking the earth - the people He touched, healed, blessed. And though Jesus was kind about most things, He was firm about everything. He prayed expecting to see results. He knew the power at work in Him - because it came from the Father and was His own - and He instructed His followers to recognize that power also.

"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him" (John 14:7).

"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him for He dwells with you and will be in you" (John 14:16-17).

So, praying in Jesus' name is to pray with purity, love, and power. It is to talk to God and expect to see a change. If we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we have the Spirit of truth dwelling with us and in us. The most powerful force in the universe. The Spirit of the One who indeed created the universe. Shouldn't our prayers reflect that power and love and grace?

Think about that as you go into prayer. If you are asking inherently selfish or harmful things, or things otherwise against God's will, be prepared to wait for God to answer it. Be prepared for Him to work a change in your heart.

If you want nothing to do with prayer, think about it anyway. Consider your reasons for avoiding that Power or for misusing Him.

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites... Pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 5:5, 6

Monday prayer - Seeking God

Good Monday to you, prayer lovers! And prayer haters. All you ambivalent about prayer. Prayer doers and prayer learners and prayer avoiders. Who did I leave out?

As you may have gathered, this is a place for everyone who has thoughts about prayer - good or bad. This is a safe place to share your thoughts, your concerns, your requests. Do it kindly and with respect, and be secure in the knowledge that there is grace.


Do you have a prayer need? What are your thoughts about prayer? Is it a good use of your time, or do you feel like you're talking to the ceiling? Get talking, people!

Lord God, we thank You for the incredible freedom to talk to You openly and without fear. Not only for the freedom allowed in our country, but also for the freedom to approach the throne of grace boldly. You are truly a great and awesome God.


This week, give us a heart to talk to You. For those who don't talk often enough, put it in our minds to seek Your face. For those who talk too much, help us remember that nothing is too much for You. You desire relationship and communion with Your children. There are those who want nothing to do with You or with prayer. We ask that you would soften hearts to feel Your love and open ears to hear Your voice.


Thank you for the opportunity to serve You. Keep us from the evil one as we strive to please You. In Your holy Name, Jesus, amen.

"Seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deuteronomy 4:29

"Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13

Prosperity is more than we think

I didn't want to write this post today. As Carol said yesterday, prosperity is a tricky subject in the church. It invites scorn and skepticism. But in an effort to be transparent and give God the glory, it seemed important to share just some of our story and my reasons for bringing this subject to the blog at all.

I ask that mercy would triumph judgment as you learn more about me.

* * *

I press the End button on my cell phone with shaking hands. Bile rises in my throat and I grit my teeth against it.

"O God. I'm going to throw up."

That's not the voice of faith. Take heart, child.

"Take heart? Your Word says the righteous shall not beg. Your Word says You will supply our every need. Your Word says ask anything in Jesus' name and it will be done by my Father in heaven. How can this be happening in light of what Your Word says, God?"

Silence. Of course. Like a patient parent, He waits out my temper tantrum. Or is He, like I do when my toddler throws a fit, thinking of a suitable punishment for my insolence?

I draw a deep breath and swallow. This is the Almighty I'm talking to. Maybe I should dial down the attitude a bit.

"Is this what's it's come to, then? Two years of clawing and fighting to stay out of the pit, and we have to file for bankruptcy anyway? Where is our abundance? Where is the prosperity You promised?"

I know your needs before you ask. Have I not clothed the lilies of the valley and fed the birds of the air? Will I not do this and much more for you?

"Oh, good. I'll just tell those creditors that God knows all our needs and He'll bail us out soon."

More silence, and I wonder what people would say if I really did bring God into our conversation about money. Somehow, I doubt it will change the bottom line.

God doesn't promise a bailout of governmental proportions. I made mistakes in handling my finances, and I have to pay the consequences. If that means bankruptcy or working two jobs or selling everything we own, maybe it will teach me about good stewardship in the future.

I feel a prodding of the sovereign sort. He does not judge me as I judge myself or as the world judges me, and He is quick to forgive. He rescues His children as a father with limitless resources would.

Rescue is still possible. Prosperity is still possible.

But what is prosperity? When I pray for that specific blessing, what am I really asking for? Let me explain in wholly personal terms as I believe this differs for everyone.

For me, prosperity means paying - and paying off - my bills. It means going to the grocery store and not debating about a bar of soap or a package of dinner meat. Prosperity to me is taking a weekend to play with my husband and kids without worrying about the lost income from two days off. I'd like to have enough in savings to pay for a trip to the dentist or car repairs. Enough to give back to the community and the people that have helped us so much in our time of need.

Even more than money, prosperity is the ability to get up in the morning and look forward to the day. To have sufficient rest and abundant peace and joy. To be able to ward off spiritual attacks that threaten to derail my progress in the Lord. To have direction and energy and organization.

That's prosperous living to me. That's what rescue looks like to me.

I know we are not unique in our situation. Millions of people in our country face circumstances like ours. May we all turn to God, "who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" (Ephesians 3:20).


I feel, rather than hear, the Lord's voice. Fear not, child. I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

To have the God of the universe taking care of me and holding me up as I go through this life gives me pause. It surely does not get more prosperous than that.

I pray prosperity and abundance on us all,
Shelley

The Riches of an Inheritance

Ephesians 1:18 - 19

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

I love Shelley’s honesty on the subject of prosperity which is almost a taboo subject in the church.  There are some subjects that the church shies away from in an effort not to be misunderstood; prosperity is one of those subject.  Why??  I think because prosperity is most often interpreted as asking for dollars and as Shelley has pointed out there are references where that request is biblical. 

However, Jesus even mentions that the people he fed with fish and loaves began to seek Him, not because of the signs which pointed to Him as the Messiah but because their bellies were filled and they wanted more (See John 6:25 – 27).   He instructed those followers to spend their energy on seeking the spiritual food that endures to eternal life rather on the “food” which perishes after ingested.  He knows our need for the daily requirements of life and it is obvious from scripture that he willingly meets those needs.   I asked myself after Shelley’s blog if I turn my heart back to the Father with heartfelt thanks when my needs are met or do I ask God to search my heart when they seem to be out of our reach.  Questions, questions.     

The passage from Ephesians gives us incredible detail regarding what God identifies as riches for his people mainly the riches of the glorious inheritance of eternal life AND the greatness of His power TOWARD us who believe; such power as we have never known and such an inheritance that we cannot begin to grasp it.  How are the eyes of our heart enlightened??  Well, you know where I’m going with this – it is through time spent in prayer; seeking God for His direction and guidance in the simple, daily needs of life and for the eternal needs of our souls.  Both are equally important to sustain life. 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”   John 3:16

Blessings on your journey,
Carol

Praying for Prosperity

Happy Tuesday, Pray-ers! As always, last week slipped by when I wasn't looking, and the weekend... Well, I'm pretty sure it didn't happen. Here's hoping you all had a good few days.

And here's praying we all have a great week!

Do you ever pray for prosperity? I do. It's more biblical than some would think (see Joshua 1:7, 1 Kings 2:3, and 3 John 1:2 for a few examples), but it took a long time for me to recognize that my idea of prosperity is not necessarily God's idea. In fact, I think He has a much bigger plan for it than I do. I usually pray for financial income - especially in the wake of losing my job and my husband working too many 14-hour days to make up for it. Sometimes I'll ask for God to prosper us in another way, like joy or understanding, but mostly I just want money. Lol.

I think God wants more for us than that.

The Word says that our expectation comes from Him (Psalm 62:5), and that His plans for us are for good, for a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). That sounds like even more than financial prosperity to me. His idea is for us to have peace, joy, hope, and fullness of Spirit. The enemy can not gain a foothold and steal our prosperity if we're seeking and living in the Spirit of Christ. And money doesn't compare when I'm full of joy and hope. When I have these things, when I'm living in Jesus, I can do all things - even earn financial income.

How do you pray for prosperity? What does it look like to you? Share with us, and let's pray for each other!

Many blessings to you today,
Shelley

Monday Prayer

Happy Monday morning, Pray-ers! Let's start the week talking to God.

Father God, thank you for another day to praise and worship you. Thank you for the many gifts you give us, and help us to recognize them. Help us to hear Your voice this week, and guide us in the ways You would have us go.

This week, I especially pray for Your children to prosper in Your name, Jesus. Many of us are weak, faltering, and disillusioned. We have asked, we have believed, and we have not received as Your word says we should. We see the wicked prosper while our works and faith seem fruitless. Where the enemy is lurking and stealing from us, I pray that You would bind him in Your power and in Your might. Give us victory and show us how to take it. Give us unending hope that does not disappoint. Give us power to win this fight for Your glory.

You are good and kind and generous, Lord. We praise You for it, and for covering us with love, courage, kindness, and hope. In Your holy Name we pray, Amen.

The Vine and the Branches

One way the Bible describes Jesus is as the vine that feeds and sustains His followers with a life that is inaccessible except in relationship with Him. “I am the vine, you are the branches” gives a beautiful pictorial of Jesus as nourisher for all those who seek their spiritual life in Him. Jesus points us to a relationship with Him that is intimate and dependent, filled with passion and life.

Prayer is a dialog with Jesus that nourishes our soul and empowers us to live with Him. Anyone who earnestly wants to know Jesus can develop a relationship with Him. Anyone who honestly asks Jesus to be with them in life will not be disappointed because He will honor your request. He will meet you when you pray and will answer you as you seek Him with a heart that desires a new way and a new life.

Meeting with Jesus in prayer regularly will bring about changes in you that are new and exciting, like wanting to spend time in prayer talking with Him. You will want to go to Jesus with decisions to be made. His guidance is wise and accurate. You will want to give up habits that are not in keeping with His nature. He will give you the strength and courage to meet these challenges. Jesus can guide you through all the circumstances of life with insights that are not your own. This is called living a spirit-filled life of faith and is one of the great wonders of life in Him.

Please feel free to let us know if you have questions about how to ask Jesus to become part of your life.

Blessings,
Carol

Monday Prayer

Happy Monday, all. (And Happy Labor Day, too! I do hope you're able to rest a bit from your labors on this day.)

Did the beginning of the week sneak up on you? It often does to me. Mondays usually mean my husband and keeper of the sanity goes back to work, leaving me with two toddlers, two dogs, and complete chaos. (I'm only half kidding here. The chaos is more than complete, if that's possible. Sweet hubby is not really keeper of the sanity, though he does give me lots of kid-free time on the weekends, so that counts for a lot.) With so much maelstrom staring me in the face, I find it even more important to focus on God before trying to head off the storms.

Let's pray.

Father God, what a blessing it is to come to You with all our cares, even before they happen. Your word says to cast our cares on You because You care for us. Watch over us as we begin the day, as we work for Your glory, and as we continue through the week. Show us Your love and help us pour it out onto others.

Jesus, we pray for protection from the evil one. Remind us to put on our full armor each day, that we would walk in peace and in Your righteousness. May the enemy's arrows crumple against the shield of faith. May we take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, and may we remember to pray always, taking each thought captive.

We thank You for guiding us, for blessing us, and for calling us according to Your will. Amen.

Do you have a specific prayer request? Let us know. Leave a comment or email us privately at elohimprayer@gmail.com. Thanks for spending a few minutes with us today!

Blessings on you,
Shelley

What's so important about prayer?

Sunday night. I sat on my queen bed, loathing the thought of sleeping in it alone, holding my five-month pregnant belly and fighting the lump that lodged itself in my throat. My husband quietly packed his bags.

“Can’t you quit?”

“You know that better than I do. We need the money.”

I cleared my throat, trying to find that eternal spring of hope. “You’ll find something else. They’re not paying enough for this.”

“There’s nothing else in this economy.” He placed his hand against my cheek and rubbed. “You’ll be staying home when the baby comes, and we need this job.”

“I need you, and so does this baby.” My face crumpled and I gave in to the tears. They rolled hot and fast down my face. My emotion made it harder on him, but I couldn’t stop.

He frowned and gathered me in for a hug. “I don’t want to do this. Don’t you know that?”

I nodded, but my sobs wouldn’t allow me to speak. Desperation filled my being.

And I began to pray.

Prayer is the most important and most powerful weapon in our arsenal against the enemy. As Ephesians 6 says, we do not fight against flesh and blood – or in my case, against employers and the economy – but against the powers and principalities of darkness. We are instructed to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17), to pray in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18), and to continue steadfastly in prayer (Rom. 12:12).

The desperate words I poured out to God that night continued for three years. They continue today. My husband did find another job – by the grace of God and no effort of his own – but we lived through two childbirths, two job losses, and the most frightening financial times of my life while God listened to my cries and comforted me. He drew me near and encouraged me as my friends and family supported me in prayer.

The Bible mentions prayer or some form of it nearly 600 times. What’s so important about it? Prayer is our lifeline to the eternal. Prayer keeps us connected to our Creator. Prayer changes lives, situations, and people.

It is my partner’s vision to teach us to pray. We offer unique, hand-crafted prayer beads with prayer guides to aid in teaching. These beads and prayers are absolutely Christian and point to the power of the triune God as our source.

It is my vision to illustrate the all-encompassing love of Jesus Christ that opened the door so we can pray, with boldness and confidence before the Throne of the Almighty. We are given a tremendous opportunity to approach the Creator of the universe and talk as though we would to our best friend. He longs to hear from us. So, let’s get talking. What are you saying to God? What does He say to you?

Let this be a place to share your prayers, but just as importantly, to share answers to your prayers. Let this be a place to support our brothers and sisters in Christ as we live through some of the most difficult times we will ever face. Let this be a place to learn about true love, true freedom, and true communion with our God.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

We look forward to hearing from you!

Praying God’s richest blessings on you,
Shelley

Companions in Prayer

Many years ago, God called me to a ministry of intercession, which is prayer for others by the leading of the Holy Spirit. God has used my prayer times with Him to let me know how much He desires time alone with all people so they can get to know Him and His desires for living in Him.

It is good to pray for others but the better way is to lead them back to the Father so they can learn dependence on Him for all their human needs.

This blog is a place where we can share together about prayer and be in prayer. God is greater than all our needs and my hope is that as we talk and pray together, we will all grow in faith and knowledge of Him.

Another aspect of this blog that we will delve into is the Bible, the Word of God. Knowing the Bible and praying God’s words back to Him infuses prayer with power. The Bible is filled with divine intent and direction from God, which if used to form prayers will allow your mind and your will to agree with God. This is how change can take place.

Where you are in your life doesn’t matter here. We welcome your input, your prayer needs, your questions, and your friendship. We welcome you here as we investigate God and His ways together. Our focus will be on prayer most of the time, but our topics will cover life. My desire is to testify to the faithfulness of God even when we don’t see the immediate evidence of life being easy.

We will investigate questions such as:

• How do we know that God is with us?
• How can we pray through the needs of our lives so we trust God for each and every moment of the day?
• How do we deal with tragedy?
• How do we voice our thanks and praise?
• How can we have confidence that God is real and cares about us?
• Who is Jesus?

I think you have a good perspective on our goal for this blog.

I hope you will join us often and that you will weigh in on the conversation. It is my privilege to travel this path with you.

Blessings,

Carol